Michael Garcia disowns report of his own findings

The FIFA investigator who investigated the bids for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups has said today’s report on his findings contain “numerous and erroneous” inaccuracies.

FIFA-appointed judge Hans-Joachim Eckert published an interim report into Michael Garcia’s findings today, in which he cleared both Russia and Qatar, but questioned the conduct of both England and Australia in the bidding process.

But Garcia has disputed the way his findings were represented, saying: “Today’s decision by the Chairman of the Adjudicatory Chamber contains numerous materially incomplete and erroneous representations of the facts and conclusions detailed in the Investigatory Chamber’s report.

“I intend to appeal this decision to the FIFA Appeal Committee.”